Mechanical lock



'Pi-.fanginu 26, 1935 UNlTED STATES messu noname mon Wylie G. Wilson, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor' 'to' Wilson Looknut Company, Jersey City, N. J., a oorporation of Delaware Application December 20, 1930, serial No. 503329' Renewed July 12, 1 980 20, 1934. -In Canada November claims. loi. isl-21) The invention relates to looking devioes and more particularly to looking devices of the charaoter oommonly known as nut looks."

Heretofore; looking devices of various characters ,have been employed for preventing undesired removal of nuts from bolts, but faults have been found with the devices, due to mutilation of bolt threads, etc.

' An object of the present invention is to provide looking devices for'retaining nuts on bolts, which devioes are simple to manufacture, inexpensive and eflioient in operation.

According to the present invention, the looking devioes thereof oonsist broadly of an apertured *body having one surfaoe in substantially the shape of a truncated cone and another surfaoe modified or built in such a way asto provide a reinforoement for the body, which reinforoement serves to more efieotively retain the body in looking en gagement with thebolt. Specifloally, the inven tion in one form consists of an apertured body which has one surfaoe s'ubstantially in the shape of a trunoated cone and another surfaoe parallel with the first surfaoe for a short length and then branohing into an annular extension which is so shaped as to lie concentric with the axis of a bolt which is in threaded engagement with an aperture of the body. The member, having its aperture threaded, can be Screwed 'on to a bolt into contact with a nut thereon and ciinched by deforming the body in a dlreotion parallel to the axis of the bolt, whereby the wall of the aperture is contraoted to grip 'the bolt, the reinforoing member being at the outer extremity of the member and being in the form oi' an annular extension surface to prevent any rupture of the body during the distorting thereof.

The invention in another form consists of an apertured body which has one surface in the shape of a trunoated cone and another surfaoe parallel to the first extending from-the outer edge of the aperture of the body to a point at' which the surface is broken due to a reinforoing extension which, in efleot, produoesa prolongation of the aperture Wall in a direction away from the nut against which 'the member rests. This body is clinohed on the bolt in the same manner by distortion, due to which the wall of the aperture engages the bolt with such force as to prevent the body being removed from the bolt 'without the application of destruotive force to the same.

In another form the .invention consists ofan apertured body having one surfaoe in the shape substantially of a truncated cone, the outer portion of the body being provided with an annular longation of the aperture wall. These' reinforo- A ing portions are separated from each other as shown. This member is looked on to a bolt by the application of force to distort the same in the same manner as before set forth so that the wall 'of the aperture clinches the bolt firmly.

Otherfeatures, objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent by reference to the following detail description, together with the aooompanying drawing forming a part of th same, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an assembly of bolt, nut and looking device constructed in accordance with the invention; u

Figure 2 is a similar section of the same assembly showing the looking d'evice ciinched on the bolt;

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 1 of an assembly including a looking device of a modined form;

Figure 4 is a similar section showing the same assembly as Figure '3 with the looking device ciinched on the bolt;

Figure 5 is a'seotion similar to Figures 1 and 3 of an assembly including' a looking device of a stfll further modified form, ,and

Figure 6 is a similar section of the assembly of Figure 5 with the looking the bolt.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, 10 indicates the threaded part of a bolt on which is positioned a nut 11 of conventional type. In order that the nut 11 may be looked on the holt in such a manner that it cannot be withdrawn therefrom, use is made of the looking device 12, which comprises a body having one surfaoe 13 in substantially the shape of a truncated cone, and another surfaoe 14 which is substantially parallel to surface 13. Extending upwardly from the outer edge of member'lz is a reinforoing portion 15, annular in form and of' thickness corresponding to the thiokness of the main portion of the body, that is, the thiokness as defined by surfaoes 13 and 14. Body 1218 provided with a central aperture which is threaded as shown to engage the threads of portion 10.

The assembly and use of the looking device as shown in Figures 1 and? is as follows: The nut 11 is Screwed on to the threaded 'portion 10 of a bolt into contact with the article to be retained on the bolt (not shown), the nut being tightened device clinohed on .of the bolt with the annular-edge thereoi resting against surface M. By striking the end of the tool rcpeated blows, the member 12 is distorted into the shape shown in Figure 2, thereby contracting a part ci the Wall oi' the aperture of this member so that this aperture wall gripa the threads of the bolt with unyieiding force.

To remove the member 12 from the bolt it is necessary to make use of destructive force such as may be applied through the agency of a cold chisel to actually destroy the 'eflectiveness of the looking device so'far as future use is concerned. When the looking device is actually split by means of a cold chisel it can be readiiy removed from the bolt and then the nut ll also removed. Due to the fact that the aperture of the member is threaded'and since the aperture wall grips the threads of the bolt, these latter threads are not mutilated in any way by the looking device, so that the bolt can be used indeflnitely in conjunction with similar looking devices.

In Figures 3 and 4 the looking device 22 is used in oonJunction with the threaded end of a bolt 10 and nut 11 similar to those shown in Figures 1 and 2. The member 22 consists ol' an apertured body having one surface 23 in substantially the shape o! a truncated cone, the body being provided with an annular extension or reini'orcin portion 24, which is so positioned as to form. a prolongation of the Wall of the central aperture of the body and affording a substantial thickness to this prolongation'. The body 22 is also provided with an annular reiniorcing extension 25 positioned near the outer edge of the member. These two reinforcing portions are separate-d as shown ln Figure 3. The wall of the central aparture has threads cut therein, as before.

The operation in use of the modification shown in these figures is similar to that described hereinbefore, in that the hut 11 is Screwed tightly on the bolt 10, and then member 22 secured On to the' bolt to cause the lower edge of the aperture Wall to contact with the nut head. In this position the member is clinched by the application ol! force through the agency of a similar tool which distorts the member into the position shown in Figure 4, contracting a part of the aperture well so it firmly clinches the threads of the bolt.. The reinforcing portion 24 adds Strength to the aperture Wall, while the reinforcing portion 25 serves to prevent splitting of the member during distorting thereof. When it is desired to remove looking member 22, it is necessary to apply destructive force as by a cold chisel in the manner before' described, thereby splitting the member and permitting it to be unscrewed from the bolt. As in the preceding form oi' the invention, the provision of threads in the aperture wall of the member, which threads engage the threads of the bolt, prevents mutilation oi' the bolt threads so that the life of the bolt is not interfered with in any manner.

In Figures 5 and 6 a still further modiflcation of the invention is shown, consisting of a looking member 32 especially designed to be used in con- -junction with heavy bolts having heavy threads.

As before, the assembly consists of a threaded &098379 end of &bolt 10 and nut 11 thereon, together with the looking member 32. This looking member is composed of a. body having a central aperture. the wail of which is threaded and a suriace 33 in substantially the shape ot a tuncated cone. The body is also provided with a sur-face 34 extending from the outer edge thereo! toward the center and substantially parallel to surlace 33. The surace 34, however, is interrupted due to a reiniorcing part 35 which forms in eii'oct a prolongation ci the aperture Wall, which enlargement 35 is of such size as to pez-mit the continueticn o! the threads of the apertm'e.

The component parts ci the assembly are assembled in the same manner as explained in conjunction with Figures l to i inciusive, the member 32 being looked on the bolt by the application oi' distorting force to Contract the aperture Wall and to natten out that portion'oi' the body lying between surfaces 33 and 34. Inthis position, it is impossible to remove the nut 11 without first removing member 32, which can be removed only after the same haabeen mbiected to destructive force by means of 'a cold chisel or other suitable tocl. As explained hereinbeiore, the provision o! threads in the aperture well which clinches threads of the bolt prevents mutilation of the bolt threads, so that the longeviiw of such bolt threads is not reduced.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides simple and emcient looking members for retaining nuts on bolts without interfering in any manner with the function of such nut and bolt. In view of thisit is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the illustrated embodiments but is to be limited' only by the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. A clamping member comprising a. deiormable body having a. surface thereo! in the shape substantially of a truncated cone, said body having an aperture, the wall of which is cut with screw threads for cooperation with the screw threads o! a bolt, said body being provided with a reinioroing portion integral therewith, said member being adapted to be ciamped on the bolt by deforming part of the body in a direction paralled to the axis of the bolt, thereby constricting' the aperture and causing the part of the wall thereof most remote rom the reinlorcing portion' to grip the bolt.

2. A olamping member comprising a determable body having a surface thereoi in the shape substantially of a. trunoated cone, said body having an aperture, the Wall of which is cut with screw threads for cooperation' with the screw threads of a bolt, said body being provided with an annular reiniorcing portion integral therewith, said member being adapted to be clamped on the bolt by deforming partoi the body in a direetion parallel to the axis'of the bolt to force a part of said conical suri'ace into contact with a nut on said bolt, thereby constrioting the aper-' ture and causing the part of the wall thereof most remote from said reinrorcing portion to grip the bolt.

3. A olamping member comprising a deformable body having a suri'ace thereoi' in the shape substantially oi' a truncated cone, said body having an aperture, the wall of which is cut' with screw threads for cooperation with the screw threads or a bolt, said body being provided with an annular reiniorcing portion extending from the outer edge of the body in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said bolt. said member being adapted to be ciamped on the bolt by deforming part of the body in a direction parallel to the axis of the bolt thereby constrict- .ing the Operation and causing the Wall thereof to grip the bolt.

4. A clamping member comprising a deformable body having a surface thereof in, the shape substantiaily of a truncated cone, said body having an aperture, the wail of which is cut with screw threads for cooperation with the screw threads of a boltsaid body being provided with an annular reinforcing portion forming a. prolongation of the aperture Wall, said member being adapted to be clamped on the bolt by deforming part of the body in a direction parailel to the axis of the bolt and away from the reinforcing portion thereby constricting the operation and causing the wall thereof to grip the bolt.

5. A clamping member comprising a deformable body having a. surface thereof 'in the shape substantially of a 'truncated cone, said body having an ap'erture, the well of which is cut with screw threads for cooperation with the screw threads of a bolt, said body being provided with an annular reinforcing portion extending from the outer edge of the body in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said bolt and an annular reinforcing portion ferming aprolonga'tion of the aperture Wall, said member being adapted to be ciamped on the holt by deforming part of the body in a direction paraiiel to the axis of the bolt thereby constricting the operation and causing the Wall thereof to grip the bolt.

WYLIE G. WILSON. 

